A Wikipedia blitz has been held to boost the profiles of female scientists and inspire young women today to follow in their footsteps.

Prof Athene Donald, professor of experimental physics at Cambridge University, gave a talk at the edit-a-thon, which saw an army of new and seasoned Wikipedia editors improve articles about female scientists.

The professor, who is also the university’s gender equality champion, spoke about challenges for women in science and led a panel discussion which touched on issues including mentoring.

Prof Donald, who did not take part in the edit-a-thon itself, said: “There are a lot of women who have very brief entries – what are called stubs. I think the hope is to try and turn them into useful entries.

“The feeling is that, as in so many walks of life, women are underplayed and it would be good to improve their profiles on Wikipedia because that’s where so many people turn to get information.

“From my perspective, the thing that really matters is that young women thinking about being scientists need to know it’s possible for them.

“They need to know that women have gone before them and that they have succeeded and therefore they can imagine doing the same themselves.

The edit-a-thon was one of a series taking place this year organised by the Medical Research Council, The Royal Society and Wikimedia UK. One will happen in Cambridge in November.

The event on Thursday coincided with the birthday of Cambridge-educated Rosalind Franklin.

Her contribution to James Watson and Francis Crick’s discovery of the structure of DNA – which they announced in Cambridge’s Eagle pub in 1953 – went largely unacknowledged at the time.

The edit-a-thon at the MRC National Institute for Medical Research in London followed a similar event organised by the Royal Society in October.

Prof Donald said the edit-a-thons are having a huge impact, including in terms of training up more editors.

She said the percentage of Wikipedia editors who are female is tiny and more are needed to bring a female viewpoint to the role.

For more information about the edit-a-thons, visit http://www.centenary.mrc.ac.uk/events/mrcroyal-societywikimedia-uk-women-in-science-wikipedia-edit-a-thons/.